Found Soul
by silverphyrbyrd
Summary: My first Young Avengers fic - how Wiccan met Hulkling! What more can I say?


Author's note: This was written a little while ago as my first attempt at Wiccan/Hulkling fic - canon slash FTW! It's also my last attempt thus far, I don't know why it's taken so long for me to upload it here. It's not as though I don't _like _it or anything... The Young Avengers and all characters thereof are property of Marvel. Not mine, kk?

FOUND SOUL

WICCAN:

So, yeah... when Billy met Teddy, right - you're sure you want this story just from me? Oh, you're getting Ted's side of it _later_, huh. Right. So, where do we start?

I guess since you already got the bit about the Scarlet Witch and Iron Lad, we start when we actually met...

Iron Lad - we didn't _know_ he was gonna be Kang at the time, he was just Iron Lad to us - he'd told me why he needed me and said I should come to Avengers mansion, where I could get my uniform and meet the others. What? Well, the Avengers weren't using it. Most of it was wrecked. Sure, I was worried about being caught but we weren't, so that's OK, isn't it?

So of course I go, wondering what they're gonna be like - I was thinking that we'd have to have a Captain America, maybe a Spiderman, hoping there'd be a Scarlet Witch- what? Oh, yeah, of course _I'm_ more Scarlet Witch than I am Thor, I know that _now_, but I didn't know it _then_. Back then I was told I'd be the Asgardian, sort of Junior-Thor. Where was I? Oh, yes...

Anyway, I get there and there's Iron Lad and two other guys waiting for me. One of 'em's Eli, AKA Patriot, and I can almost see the chip on his shoulder from the doorway. So I come in, introduce myself, being as cheerful as I can, trying to make a good impression, and the _other_ guy stands up, holds out his hand and says, 'Pleased to meet you, I'm Teddy.'

Love at first sight? Don't be ridiculous. Oh, OK, nearly. It's just that he's just automatically polite and he smiles like he's really glad to see you - even if he's never met you before. And he treats _everybody_ like that.

He wasn't doing the Hulkling thing just then, so what I saw was this good-looking blond guy, couple of inches taller than me and probably a lot stronger, loads of piercings in both ears and really incredibly blue eyes - what? Look, I don't care what you think, I think Teddy's got fantastic eyes.

So anyway, we shake hands - I kinda have to force myself to let go before I make myself look spooky - and I wonder who he's gonna be. I thought maybe Sentry or Captain Marvel - yes, I know, and I was right, wasn't I? But Iron Lad says that Teddy is Hulkling. I must've looked pretty confused, 'cause Eli laughed at me, but I don't think he knew about Teddy either - when he changed Eli looked as surprised as me.

But I wasn't really surprised by the change, I was surprised because he looks just as good as Hulkling as he does as Teddy Altman. Green, yes - back then he had green hair too 'cause Hulk does, now he's blond all the time. But he just looks... man, how can I say this? _Legendary_. I almost thought I was seeing nature spirits.

Alright, fine, laugh if you want.

So we get the costumes - Teddy's shows off the muscles on his arms and I get a metal hat with wings on, lucky me - and we start going through what we're capable of. Iron Lad mentions that I can fly, which is, woah, sudden - it's not like I ever tried before. But I try it, and it seems to work, and so Iron Lad suggests I try with a passenger. Teddy volunteers, and I wish he hadn't - I was sure I'd drop him, but he smiles that smile of his and says it'll be fine, so I put an arm around him and take off. He's not facing me - you might have noticed but mostly if a superhero's being flown by another superhero they're normally facing away - but he's still close enough that I can smell him, and if I was really stupid I could just turn my head and kiss him on the back of the neck - so sure enough, I lose concentration and _both_ of us fall. From about fifteen feet up. But he landed fine and caught me, too - that was how we really found out he was a shapeshifter. Nothing says 'shapeshifter' quite like an extra pair of arms coming out of nowhere.

It could have been awkward as hell, but somehow we managed to laugh about it and go on with the training, and then it was pretty late and we all had to go home.

Well, Eli splits first - as soon as we're clear of the mansion, in fact. It almost seemed like an escape and I was wondering if he was really the right kind of guy to lead the team, then I realised Iron Lad had stayed behind, and so it was just Teddy and me, walking through the park alone. But we were just talking, and walking slower and slower till we were just standing there, and it was getting later but I don't think I gave a damn. You've heard about someone clicking with someone else, right? Well, me and Teddy clicked so hard you could almost hear it.

After a while we were talking about what we knew about our powers, and so I told him the Scarlet Witch story, and he laughed when I told him what I said to Kesler - you know, he asked if that kid was my boyfriend so I asked _him_ if that was his way of asking if I was single- yeah, you remember. Anyway, I got to the end of the story and Teddy said, 'So... are you?'

And I said, 'Am I what?'

He said, 'Are you single?'

I wasn't really sure where this was going - I mean, you hear about gaydars and stuff but Teddy's not that obvious. But hey, we're getting on, so I said, 'Are you kidding? Of course I'm single - I'm the kind of kid even other geeks avoid.'

And Teddy said, 'They're probably jealous. Or crazy.'

I... still don't know what I should have said then, but I must have looked pretty surprised, 'cause he suddenly looked all embarrassed and said, 'Uh, I'm gonna go home now, it's late. See you.' Then he turned and went.

But I really, really wanted him to stay, so before I knew what was doing I held up my hand and said, 'I don't _want_ you to go.' And there was a flash and he stopped.

I caught up with him - I was kind of expecting him to be mad at me for stopping him like that but he was smiling, and before I could say anything he said, 'OK, then, if you don't mind me asking, why don't you want me to go?'

I was nearly stuck for words but I said, 'I just... why'd you wanna know if I'm single?'

Teddy kept smiling but I could tell he was waiting for something to go horribly wrong. But still he said it - he said, 'I like you - even if nobody else does, _I_ think you're gorgeous.'

I could never have said that, straight out, if I wasn't sure of what the answer would be. But at that point I think that was one of the nicest things anyone's ever said to me. And the best reply I could come up with was, 'Oh... you sure?'

And he said, 'Yeah, 'course I'm sure.'

I didn't even know I was starting to glow blue until Teddy stepped backwards and said, 'Listen, Billy, you don't need to zap me - you want me to back off, just say so.'

'I... don't want you to back off,' I said.

Actually, I was trying to pluck up the courage to reach out and touch him, but I didn't need to - he stepped towards me and took my hand, and said really quietly in my ear, 'So what _do_ you want?'

Right then was when I remembered the Scarlet Witch's advice to be myself, and part of what I am is gay, so I thought OK, Kaplan, here goes nothing, and kissed him. And he let go of my hand and put his arms around me and kissed me back and I can honestly say there is no safer place for me in this universe than in Teddy Altman's arms. Yeah, it sounds soppy but it's true. That was the first time I've ever felt really and truly secure when I wasn't actually at home.

Then I looked up into that smile and those eyes and I said, 'So, are _you_ single?'

And he said, 'Not if you don't want me to be.'

I thought about it - I'd never had a boyfriend before. I mean I'd only just met him, but if I tried to count the things I liked about him I'd run out of digits before I ran out of things. So I smiled and I said, 'Sounds good to me.'

And it turned out it _was_ good. It was just your teenage high-school romance for the first few weeks - of course I hated it when he got hurt, but he always got up again and he's stronger than me so I was always pretty sure he'd be OK - but then we got that Kree-Skrull thing and I thought I'd lost him. I got this feeling, sort of empty and heavy at the same time, how I managed to get off the ground during that time is a mystery, I was feeling so low. And when we found him, and I could hold him again - I didn't want to let him go.

Yeah, I wasn't surprised when I heard he was royalty. I would have believed it if someone had said he was a god. I don't know what he sees in me, I'm just a lost soul. Some skinny geek in a red cape. Except I'm a _found_ soul now.

If I _did_ lose him? I don't know. I suppose I might end up bitter and cynical like Tommy. I don't want to think about it.

Yes, I do love him. You can quote me on that, you gonna write that down? 'Wiccan loves Hulkling', that's right. Are we done? Wonderful. You're welcome.

HULKLING:

So you just want to know how we met? Well, alright, then, I'll do my best - hope I don't repeat too much of what Billy said - oh, is that the transcript? May I? Thanks.

Oh, this is just so sweet. You see here, how he thinks he's a skinny geek? He thinks far too little of himself - the first time I saw him, I'd been talking to Eli for ten minutes, which is pretty exhausting if you're just trying to make friends - I think Eli thinks that anyone trying to make friends with him must want something, especially if they're white. He's been more friendly since he found out that my natural skin colour is actually green, but - where was I? Oh, yeah. Anyway, I'd been talking to Eli for a while and then the door opened - I looked up, really glad about the distraction, and there was this guy standing in a sunbeam looking like someone had coloured in one of those Greek god statues or something.

Yes, I know, he said _I_ could be a god. That's nonsense. I'm too clunky. He's got all the grace and beauty - put a pair of wings and a halo on him and bing! instant angel.

He had this slightly desperate smile and these enormous brown eyes and his hair was glowing sort of coppery from the sunbeam - the fact that he doesn't think he looks good is just... weird. How can he not see it? He's... he's _perfect_.

Actually, yeah, I do believe in love at first sight. I'm just not dumb enough to stand up and say, 'Hello, I'm Teddy, I would follow you to hell and back' to a guy I only just met. But we shook hands and I know I felt a spark - yes, it was probably just his powers, but still. I could see Iron Lad looking at me out of the corner of my eye and I thought, You can tell, can't you? He didn't say anything, though, and neither did I and looking at what Billy said, _he_ couldn't tell so I guess that's OK.

And we got the costumes - I'm quite glad mine fits whether I'm Hulkling or Teddy, and I wasn't sure about it at first but apparently Billy likes it so that's good enough for me. Billy's? Yeah, the Asgardian uniform made him look amazing. Like, so much potential power, you know? Yes, I saw what he said about the wings. I liked them. The Wiccan outfit is good too - makes his legs look better, for one thing - but I do think it was a pity about the staff.

We're getting sidetracked. This flight training thing? Yeah, of course I volunteered when he needed a practice passenger. And yes, it was for the reason you think. Just because I was brought up to be nice doesn't mean I can't take an opportunity when it's handed to me on a plate. I didn't think he'd fall, but then again I didn't really think he was strong enough to get me off the ground in the first place so I was ready to catch him when he did. Patriot freaked. Asked me what the hell I was, so I said I was a mutant shapeshifter, which is the best _I _knew at the time. I think it squicked him out a bit. To be honest I'm pretty glad - he left afterwards as soon as he could and that meant me and Billy could walk through the park by ourselves.

Yes, I know he'd probably have left quickly anyway. _Then_, I thought it was because of the shapeshifting thing.

Anyway, me and Billy were talking, time was getting on but it didn't matter so much - by the time it was nearly dark, we were standing under this big tree and you'd have had to look hard to see us anyway. You already know what was said - sorry? Well, the important bits, anyway. This bit here, where he says about gaydars? I was pretty sure about him by this time. He's not camp or anything but... it's just something, you know? But when I said people were crazy to avoid him he looked so surprised that I thought I'd got him all wrong and I decided I'd better get out of there quick before I said something else stupid and made him never want to talk to me again. But yeah, he stopped me. There was this blue light and all of a sudden I couldn't move. So I asked him why and he asked why _I_ wanted to know if he was single so I thought OK, here we go, and I told him. Partly. I said I liked him. I didn't say I thought he was the most amazing creature I'd ever seen, 'cause that might be seen as, you know, coming on a bit strong. He looked nervous enough as it was - started glowing blue, so I told him that he didn't need to zap me to make me do anything, asking would do fine, and I got hold of his hand for good measure, and then _he_ kissed _me_. I seriously wasn't expecting that, I was half expecting to get a lightning bolt in the gut. But no, he kissed me, so I thanked every god I could think of, got him around the waist and kissed him back, and he had his arms around my neck and his hands in my hair - I know we were in public, although the park's kinda dead at that time of night, but it could have been in the middle of a Klan rally and the entire world would still have consisted of just him.

And after that we were boyfriends. Part of being a superhero is sticking by Billy and trying to make sure he isn't hurt - except he manages to keep himself out of harm's way most of the time. That thing with Kang, when Billy vanished - have you ever felt the bottom drop out of your world, all at once? Like the sudden certainty that nothing's ever gonna be OK again? Right. And the Kree-Skrull thing, ugh. Alright, fine, I'm technically an emperor. I don't care. If I've got to go away and leave Billy behind, you could offer me a master-of-the-universe crown and I'd refuse. If he could come with me? Maybe we could negotiate then, but I've been running around with the other Young Avengers for a while now and I've been getting pretty attached to them, too. Part of me is wondering what will happen when the Kree - or maybe the Skrull - work out about the swap with the Super-Skrull. I mean, there's supposed to be a decision in a year. _Somebody's_ going to figure it out, surely? And then we're going to have to _do_ something about it. I'm not leaving.

Sorry, what was that? Oh, come on, I'm _sixteen_, don't you think I'm a bit young to be thinking about civil partnerships? And in any case, if anyone gets to hear first, it's gonna be Billy. That's only fair, right?

Is that it? You're welcome, don't worry about it. Okay, I'll tell him you said so - bye.


End file.
